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Timeout isnt working...

So im a mom of 3, my second child, who just turned 27 months is a character.... He does not really listen when we dont want to do something... I tell him, the count then timeout... Well timeout is the greatest thing in his eyes... Weve changed location, duration, etc, but nothing matters. At daycare they say he listens well... The biggest thing we have trouble with at home is climbing and wanting foid/drink( he wants to eat and drink literally all day). Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts about how to discipline effectivly?

How does he think time oput is the greatesting thing? Does he play or something? How do you do your time outs? I have found putting my son in the corner where we are doing stuff (so he knows he is missing out on the activity) has been effective for his times outs and he has to stay in there 1 minute per year of his age, so we are up to 4 minutes. If I move hom to another room in teh house, well, he doesn't stay in time out and it is highly innefective. I also ignore what ever action he is doing in time out and he knows now that time out starst when he is quite too, but that is just me and now. It didn't always use to be he had to be quiet (he didn't understand that around 2-3) in time out, he just had to have a moment away. I find they help kids compose themselves. Other than that, the next things you could start trying is taking favorite activities or toys away.

And drinking and eating all day is grazing, it isn't too bad and normal a lot of the time. I would just set out healthy snacks all the time. Things like carrots and apples and celery and raisins, etc :) *hugs*

I use consequences with my boys. If I tell them to stop something and they continue, there is a consequence. (they get 3 warnings. first time I only warn them. 2nd time I warn and state the consequence. 3rd time I warn, state again and let them know it's the last warning. they don't listen and I follow through with consequence.)

The consequences are something important--but can vary on the day. Some days it's not getting after dinner treat, a bedtime snack or able to watch a movie before bed. Other days it's not going out somewhere (for ice cream, to zoo, etc.)

They have learned quickly that when I start handing out warnings, it's time to start listening.

They key with this is to pick consequences that matter---then follow through. Telling the kid he'll go to bed without dinner isn't a good consequence if you are going to feed him later anyways.

We do a corner, but it is out of the room, so maybe bringing it into the room? He just smiles the whole time, he doesnt sit, if im telling him to sit, then in my eyes it isnt really time out. We started with a minute per age, doesnt make a difference. Our older one was like that too, so we do 4 minutes. Its not so much the eating when hes hungry, or telling us hes hungry (which he really doesnt do), its the constant in andvout of fridge/cabinets, climbing to try and get what he wants... If he does "graze" than he doesnt eat at meal time and its important to us that we sit down and eat together....its just what we do. We had gates that kept him out of the kitchen and stairs, hes broken through them 3 times. We put them there to keep him safe while i was nursing his brother, but now that im not nursing anymore, we just left the gates off, figuring he needs to learn. He just turned 2 but the size of a 4 year old, so he can get to alot. Hes broken through every childproof product we have brought into the home. For awhile an oversized sock monkey someone got him kept him out of areas we didnt want him if we put it there, but hes no longer scared of the monkey. Thanks for all of your suggestions

Does he want to eat and drink all day because he is hungry or is he just looking for something to do. If he is hungry then I would just let him eat when he wants and just make sure it is healthy food. If he is bored then maybe try to re-direct him to something fun to do like painting or helping you around the house. Same with climbing, boys that age need to climb so make sure he has lots of opportunity to climb in a safe environment and just be consistent with removing him and explaining why he can't climb up the dresser or whatever. I never even tried using time-outs because I knew with my son's personality that it just wouldn't work for us.

Most of the time hes not hungry. I do a huge variety of foods too. I sometimes wonder if hes bored, so i do use redirecting alot, trying to find different activites to do. Unfortunitly, on his non daycare days and being we live in a cold climate, winter time is rough for that... So we are laid back with alot, but standing on the arm of a chair or standing on his art table or trying to climb on the counters just isnt ok because its just not safe. He has ride on cars and stuff like that for inside. I even try different floors of our house to change it up. Hes just very strong willed. Ultimatly my goal is to get him to sit still during time out, just unsure how to get tothat point.

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